What Makes a Great Movie?

What does it take to make a great movie? There are many key factors that play into what I consider a good movie; however, I believe that a movie must have a great script, fine acting and powerful emotional impact. Most all of my favorite movies contain these three components.

Georges Méliès’ 1902 silent film, Le voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) is not only a fest for the eyes, but a film that changed the history of film itself. The film tells the story of a group of astronomers and their expedition to the moon. 

The iconic landing on the moon 

            

Once the group lands on the moon, they soon find trouble as they encounter strange creatures. After their brief confrontation with the creatures, the group escapes to the safety of their spaceship. They leave the dangerous moon and crash-land into the safety of Earth’s ocean.

Discovery of the Moon Creatures

            The film was revolutionary from its groundbreaking effects to its imaginative storyline. I found Méliès’ film a great movie. The story was playful and interesting, as the astronomers escaped one wonder only to face another. Watching this film gave me the sense of passion that Georges Méliès put into this film and made it that much more of a great film.

            Edwin S. Porter’s 1903 film, The Great Train Robbery also provided the movie industry with great technological advances. The film, considered to be the first Western ever made, includes a large cast of actors. Actor Justus D. Barnes is responsible for the films infamous finale. Barnes, the gruffy leader of the outlaws menacingly aims and fires at the audience as the camera remains focused dead center upon him. Barnes’ portrayal of the rugged outlaw is extremely convincing and truly gives his character a soul.

The dangerous outlaw

Michael Curtiz’s 1942 film Casablanca has become a popular “Great Movie” as well as a personal favorite movie of mine. Casablanca stars Humphrey Bogart as an American expatriate Rick Blaine, owner of the upscale “Rick's Café Américain.” Ingrid Bergman stars as Rick’s former love, Ilsa Lund; and, Paul Henreid as Victor Laszlo, Ilsa’s husband and fugitive leader. Set in World War 2, the film beautifully tangles the stories of love, war and danger and has created a lasting influence that has only grown with time. The acting in this movie is truly brilliant weather one analyzes the motives of Humphrey Bogart’s dynamic character or admires Dooley Wilson’s admirable character as Bogart’s friend, Sam. 

Sam (Dooley Wilson) left, Rick (Humphrey Bogart) right

The brilliant script throughout the movie keeps the audience on their feet as the uncertain fate of the characters is constantly questioned. When dissected, most all of the film’s dialogue seems almost poetic. The emotional impact that this film has created has created for countless generations has caused this film to become a timeless classic. At a key point in the film, emotions escalate as the all too real conflict created by the War enters the Café as Laszlo orders the house band to play “La Marseillaise” against Strasser’s “Die Wacht am Rhein”. 

Wartime emotions escalate 

Emotions are also stirred as the film's complex love triangle becomes uncertain at the film's airport climax.

"Here's looking at you kid"

The Rodgers and Hammerstein film adaptation of Carousel also employs te key components to the making of a great film. The emotional pull of the internal struggles of the main characters becomes overwhelming as the true feelings of the characters cannot be admitted to. The script in Carousel is a great one and has many layers of complex thinking that compliments the excellent acting of Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae. The making of a "Great Film" can be contemplated about, but for me, the examples listed above have become examples of my "Great Movies".